News / Bristol Charity
UK Government is doubling donations to TREE AID’s new appeal
TREE AID uses trees to combat poverty and climate change, bringing positive change to people living in Africa. A local charity, it was founded in 1987 after realising the power of plants to lift people out of poverty.
From 1 April to 30 June, TREE AID is launching She Grows, an appeal to reverse the effect of deforestation and climate change in the drylands of Mali. The UK Government is matching public donations pound-for-pound during the three-month appeal.
She Grows will help 1,000 women in the West African country to set up small businesses that will make and sell shea butter and honey, and is also giving them the tools and training to save and replant their local forests.
is needed now More than ever
Women already supported by TREE AID plant saplings
Joanna Lumley, patron of TREE AID, is encouraging people to donate to the cause, saying: “I urge local people to please give what they can to the She Grows appeal, knowing their gift will be doubled by our government. If ever there was a time to support a local organisation working on global issues, it is now.
“Trees are being wiped from the landscape in the African drylands and the desert is spreading, making it harder for people, especially women, to feed their families and earn an income.”
Climate change is a critical issue globally and the situation is heightened in Mali. The West African country is two-thirds desert, with frequent droughts and widespread deforestation. Their land is some of the driest in the world and, the situation is worsening due to climate change.
Trees are a lifeline – they survive drought, improve soil and provide fruits, nuts and seeds for food and income.
Setou Traoré, one of the Mali women benefitting from the project, says: “Trees are vital, especially for us women. Without trees, we wouldn’t eat.”
Additionally, Setou is finding it harder to find food for her family and she struggles to pay for her children’s education: “The produce from the fields has reduced. Farming doesn’t feed us anymore, the sources of income are weak. There aren’t many trees anymore. I am worried for my children.”
Setou will benefit from the She Grows project
She Grows has already received support from many Bristol-based people and organisations, including Bristol Adult Ballet and TV presenter Professor Alice Roberts.
With the UK Government doubling public donations TREE AID needs as many local people to donate as possible, to help women in Mali escape poverty through planting trees. There has never been a more important time to support a local charity.
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